The Organization

About the Organization

The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL,
pronounced "apple") is an organization of
psychiatrists dedicated to excellence in practice,
teaching, and research in forensic psychiatry.
Founded in 1969, AAPL currently has over 2,000 members
in North America and around the world.

What is Forensic Psychiatry?

Forensic psychiatry is a medical subspecialty
that includes research and clinical practice in the
many areas in which psychiatry is applied to legal
issues. While some forensic psychiatrists may
specialize exclusively in legal issues, almost all
psychiatrists may, at some point, have to work
within one of the many areas in which the mental
health and legal system overlap. AAPL welcomes both
the forensic specialist and the general psychiatrist
who seeks information and professional support in
those domains in which psychiatry an the law share a
common boundary. These include:

Violence

Criminal responsibility

Competence, civil and criminal

Child custody and visitation

Psychic injury

Mental disability

Malpractice

Confidentiality

Involuntary treatment

Correctional psychiatry

Juvenile justice

Ethics and human rights

The Goals of AAPL

The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
promotes scientific and educational activities in
forensic psychiatry by:

Facilitating the exchange of ideas and
practical clinical experience through
publications and regularly scheduled national
and regional meetings

Sponsoring continuing education programs for
both forensic and general psychiatrist and other
mental health and legal professionals

Developing ethical guidelines for forensic
psychiatry

Stimulating research in forensic psychiatry
and providing a forum for the presentation of
the results of such research

Developing guidelines for education and
training in forensic psychiatry for both general
psychiatry residents and post-residency fellows

Providing information to the public through
a speaker's bureau and published literature.